16^th November, 12pm to 1pm, IDL Auditorium

Presented by Bronwyn Laycock, ARC Industrial Transformation and Training Centre on Bioplastics and Biocomposites, School of Chemical Engineering, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia

Polymers have become ubiquitous in our modern society and are now used in an enormous range of applications, with global plastics production being estimated to be around 367 million metric tons in 2020. However, understanding the stability and lifetimes of these materials under different conditions and over extended periods of use, as well as following accidental release into the environment, can be quite a challenge. This presentation will provide an overview of the known mechanisms of polymer degradation and biodegradation, as well as providing a snapshot of some of the challenges associated with understanding and predicting polymer lifetimes including some of the unexpected outcomes that we have observed in our research to date.

Please register your interest in attending.